NORA-B2 Stand-Alone Bluetooth® Low Energy Modules

u-blox NORA-B2 series stand-alone Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) wireless MCU modules are designed for ultra-low-power Internet of Things (IoT) applications. These modules are built to support professional-grade IoT solutions, offering compatibility with Thread, Zigbee, and Matter protocols. They are built on the latest generation of Nordic Semiconductor nRF54L series chips as an open CPU solution or with an AT-command interface (u-blox u-connect) where customer applications run on Arm® Cortex®-M33 processor with integrated non-volatile memory and RAM memory.

One of the standout features of the NORA-B2 series is its Bluetooth Core 6.0 qualification, which includes Channel Sounding for accurate ranging. This feature enhances the precision of location-based services and applications. All NORA-B2 variants support Bluetooth Channel Sounding and other Bluetooth Core 5.x features such as Bluetooth long range communication (CODED PHY), Bluetooth high data-rate (2M PHY), and Bluetooth Mesh.

The series also includes variants with different antenna configurations, such as external antenna pins and internal PCB antennas, providing flexibility for various use cases. The modules are globally certified, ensuring compliance with international standards and facilitating easy integration into diverse markets. Key market segments are industrial automation, medical and healthcare, telematics, smart cities, and buildings. The NORA-B2 series is especially effective in smart home/building IoT applications where Matter is used.

The NORA-B2's powerful MCU can be used for high-performance applications while being clocked up to 128 MHz. The series scores an impressive 505 on EEMBC CoreMark tests, making it twice as powerful as the previous generation of Bluetooth LE modules, while it consumes up to 50% less current when compared to the previous generations. The modules support UART, SPI, I²C, NFC™, PWM, and multiple GPIOs, making it highly versatile for various IoT applications. The modules operate within a wide voltage range of 1.7 V to 3.6 V and can withstand temperatures from -40°C to +85°C, ensuring reliable performance in harsh environments.

The NORA-B26x is a compact, high-performing, stand-alone Bluetooth LE module delivered with u-connectXpress software that provides support for u-blox Bluetooth LE serial port service, GATT client and server, beacons, Channel Sounding (planned 2026), Bluetooth long range, NFC, and simultaneous peripheral and central roles. u-blox u-connectXpress software allows hosts to easily configure connectivity using AT commands over a UART interface.

The EVK-NORA-B201, with an external U.FL antenna connector, and EVK-NORA-B206, with an internal PCB antenna, evaluation kits provide a development platform for quick prototyping of a variety of low-powered IoT applications supporting Bluetooth Channel Sounding and 802.15.4-2020 standards such as Thread, Matter, and Zigbee.